Fun in the Sun
Summer is the time for you and your kids to enjoy the outdoors! This month on "It's About You", we discover that our neighborhoods, regardless of location, can be the playground for fun and physical activity for children of all ages! Our experts, Dr. Mark Purschwitz, UK College of AG Extension Specialist for Ag Safety & Health and Martha Yount, Family & Consumer Agent for Breathitt County share some tips on ways to have "fun in the sun".
Create opportunities to share time with family and friends outdoors during the summer months and explore the environment around you. Walking in your neighborhood is a good way to start as well as learning about the community in which you live. To make a walking program fun and lasting, start small and build your mileage; create a walking map for you and your family so you can explore new areas of the community; and follow the rules of the road-walk against oncoming traffic. To combine walking and nature, consider hiking! The Kentucky outdoors offers the opportunity to explore the beautiful scenery of our commonwealth, create family fun and burn calories. When hiking, remember to be prepared! Packing water is essential for any length of a hike to stay hydrated especially during the hotter months. Water is the best and most economical fluid and fill up a reusable water bottle to save money and the environment. Sports beverages are usually not necessary unless you are doing a strenuous hike or endurance activity. Packing a backpack with first aid supplies, sunscreen, maps, bug spray and some healthy snacks guarantees a fun outing for the whole family!
With the escalating cost of gas, riding a bike is not only a form of physical activity but a mode of transportation. Biking can be fun if safety tips are followed. Always wear a proper fitting helmet and obey the rules of the road-ride with the traffic, stay within bike lanes when available and obey traffic signals.
With a little knowledge of safety and health tips, outdoor activities can create the opportunity for families to be active and burn some of those winter "packed on" calories with little cost to our budgets. Have FUN in the sun!